Voters approved a tax levy to help maintain thousands of acres of natural areas throughout the tri-county area.

Metro's Measure 26-152 passed easily, garnering just over 60 percent of the votes cast. No votes came in at just under 40 percent.

The five-year levy will raise about $50 million over its lifespan to fight invasive species, limit erosion and build trails on about 13,000 acres of open spaces bought using money from previously approved bond measures.

The measure will levy 9.6 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, costing a typical homeowner in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties about $20 a year.

A well-organized campaign titled "Restore Our Natural Areas" promoted the levy, which proponents say is necessary to restore and maintain lands that can't be tended with bond-measure money.